All Entries in the "Toyota Tundra Reviews and Comparisons" Category
New 2009 F150 Versus Toyota Tundra
NOTE: We’ve updated this information and completed a full, official comparison of the 2009 F150 and the 2009 Tundra. If you’d like to comment, please comment on that post instead.
This week marks the 2008 North American International Auto Show, with Ford debuting the next generation F150 due out in 2009. The newest F150 will represent tougher competition for the Tundra with new features, new engines, better fuel economy, and of course, new sheet metal. Here’s a break down of the new 2009 F150 and Toyota’s anticipated response.
The Next Generation F150
New Vehicle Factory Warranties: Toyota Is Last
If you’re considering purchasing a new Toyota, or if you’ve heard anything about Dodge’s new lifetime warranty, you’re probably wondering how Toyota stacks up against the competition.
NOTE: We’ve heard lots of stories about Toyota and others stepping up and replacing parts out of warranty, but since these aren’t official policies they can’t be used as a basis for comparison.
Dodge Factory Warranty: Best Gimmick
In addition to the 3yr/36k mile standard new car warranty, most new Dodges now come with a “Lifetime” powertrain warranty. One reason “Lifetime” is in quote marks is because it’s limited to the first owner. The other reason that “Lifetime” is in quotations is that in order to maintain the warranty, you’re required to have your local Dodge dealership inspect your powertrain exactly every 5 years (at least within 60 days of the purchase date). As if these mandatory inspections weren’t cause for concern, in order to maintain your Dodge “Lifetime” powertrain warranty, quote “It is your responsibility to perform preventative maintenance on your vehicle. You
Toyota Tundra is More American Than Dodge Ram
Recently Cars.com released a study that announced the Top 10 American-Made Cars, and much to our surprise the Dodge Ram was not on the list!
Here are the results from the Cars.com study:
- Ford F150
- Toyota Camry
- Chevy Silverado 1500
- Chevy Cobalt
- Ford Focus
- Toyota Sienna
- Chevy Malibu
- Pontiac G6
- Ford Escape
- TOYOTA TUNDRA
See what’s NOT on the list? No Dodges. None.
WOW.
We had to see this for ourselves, so we went and took some photos this weekend at a couple of local Denver dealerships.
The Dodge is 72% domestic parts, with the transmission coming from Germany:
The Tundra has 75% domestic parts, with the most expensive components (engine and transmission) being made in the U.S.
It’s pretty clear to us that driving a Tundra helps the U.S. economy more than driving a Dodge Ram…not to mention it’s more “American”.
In your face Dodge owners! (just kidding)
Toyota Tundra Camshaft “Problem”
When you’re at the top of the food chain, everyone wants to eat your lunch. Toyota, arguably the MOST successful car company in the world, is sometimes a victim of its’ own success. When Toyota has a minor hiccup, the press lunges at the opportunity to discredit and devalue the company. Most recently, Automotive News has reported that “The launch of the all new 2007 Tundra full size pickup continues to go anything but smoothly” due to a mysterious camshaft failure found on the 5.7L V8.
Before anyone takes their new 5.7L down to their local Ford, Chevy, or Dodge dealer to trade it in, let’s evaluate the facts:
- Automotive news reports 20 instances of this camshaft failure, but this isn’t a complete number. There could be more, and there could be less. Weighed against the current total of 30,000 trucks sold, that amounts to a very small percentage of defects.
- To their credit, Toyota has acknowledged there is a problem with SOME of the 5.7L camshafts. If any camshaft has failed, Toyota may replace the entire engine according to correspondence with PickupTruck.com.
- If this were happening in a new Dodge, Ford, or Chevy, this wouldn’t be news. The fact is that the only reason camshaft failures are news is because they’re happening on a Toyota.
The bottomline: Until this starts happening with any sort of regular frequency, it’s not a problem. Toyota warranty’s the camshafts on a new Tundra for five years or 60k miles. If there is a defective camshaft in your truck, it’s going to grenade long before the warranty is up. If Toyota installs a new motor (and grants you an extended warranty on the rest of the power train), what’s the harm? Besides, it’s probably not going to happen to anyone that it already hasn’t happened to.
Tundra v. Ram — Part III: Ride, Handling, and Comfort
This is the third and final part of our comparison series Toyota Tundra v. Dodge Ram. In this segment, we
